A Serpent's Bad Faith
by Mistress-malfoy89
Summary: With the weight of the world on his shoulders, Draco having pledged allegiance to both the Light and Dark side must make a decision.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters or themes presented in this text.

Chapter One

With the rain pouring heavily, creating tiny thuds against all the stained classroom windows, Professor Snape sat back-straight behind his desk, waiting for his class to finish up. He watched over the students lazily as most by now were delicately trying to pour a vial of their calming draught to hand over to him for assessment. It was the second week back at Hogwarts for the start of a new school year, and already the students had lounged back into their carefree attitudes. How he hated that most of the students wouldn't take potion making seriously. He constantly thought about how one day far into the future, every single person in his class would need to brew up a potion and he bet that they'd have difficulty doing so, all because they weren't bothered enough to pay the class the least bit of attention when they were at school.

A minute or two passed as he continued to let his eyes roam around to the tables, before students started walking forward to submit their vials. Grumbling his notice of their submissions, Professor Snape placed all the vials into his top drawer. After collecting the last vial, he made sure all the students had left the room before with a flick of his wrist; he locked the door to the class. His face seemed to darken suddenly and his right hand itched at the sleeve of his left forearm- the dark mark. It had been over a year since he last felt the small burning prickles of the Dark Lords summon, however there he sat in his classroom, trying to ignore the uncomfortable sensation in his arm.

"I don't understand what you're possibly going to do with all these books." Ron Weasley walked out of the library, following a very rushed Hermione; both with a very generous stack of books in their arms.

Hermione led the way, rounding the corner and heading to start up the staircases. "Ron, it's the second week and I already have two papers due by next week and another three by the end of the month. If I don't get a move on, then when the time comes when I need to have started them, the books I need will have all been gone." She huffed out as she climbed the stairs, completely oblivious to the fact that being a witch meant she could levitate the books instead of having to carry them. "Plus, this is our seventh year here; you'd think you would know by now that I'm always striving to have everything completed well before the due date."

Ron shrugged at her words and continued on his mission to juggle the books while trying to keep his balance on the occasional rotating staircase. "Sue me for thinking you may have chilled the hell out by now." He noticed that she did not react to his words, and came to the conclusion that for the next few hours, she'd be giving him the cold shoulder over that comment.

* * *

><p>Pansy Parkinson slammed the dungeon door to the Slytherin common room as loudly as she could muster, earning her many alarmed looks from her fellow house members. She leaned against the door and glared at the people around her. "Anyone says a word, and I'll curse all your damn heads off." Moving away from the door, she roughly took off her side bag and threw it at the closest first year; making a bee-line to the dormitories. "Put that in my room, and make sure nobody and I mean nobody enters Malfoy's room." Sneering, at the first year, she didn't miss a step in her threatening strides to the dorm rooms.<p>

As she stormed down the hallway of the boy's dormitories, she started rehearsing a few good curses she had memorised all day. Reaching the last door on the right, she slammed her palm against it loudly, not caring who she may be disturbing in the rooms surrounding. There was no reply, so she slammed against it harder.

"Draco Malfoy, you open this door or Merlin help me I will break it down!" She stopped her violent knocking and stared at the door knob, waiting for a jiggle. She was about to continue to shout threats before the door opened for her to enter.

Draco Malfoy resting on his bed stared up at the short girl, annoyance written all over his flawless features. "What do you want Pansy?"

Pansy walked right up to where he rested and swatted his shoulder multiple times. "Have you lost your mind? Do you purposely try to make everything difficult for yourself?" Sneering Pansy snapped at him. As she awaited a response she was only reimbursed with a confused look and a perfectly arched raised brow. "The head position you git. Goyle reckons you turned it down and now the whole school is buzzing about trying to figure out who the new head boy will be."

Realisation dawned on him and he shook his head. "No, I didn't decline. I merely haven't accepted it yet." He kicked his legs off the bed and sat up, stretching his arms high up over his head.

Pansy held back the pulsing urge to wack him over the head, and instead settled for smacking his forehead with the already sore, palm of her hand. "Seriously, all looks and no brain. Do you think they're going to wait for you to accept? It's the second week! I'm sure Dumbledore is already writing up a little letter appointing someone else the position."

He stood up so that he towered over the girl, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Stop it, Pansy. I will be head boy in time. I need to think things through." He dropped his hand from her shoulder.

Quietening her voice to just above a whisper, she hissed at him. "Think of what it would mean to be able to do the Dark Lords bidding in the privacy of your own common room and not have to worry about any blood traitors lurking around the corner, waiting for the slightest indication that you're up to something, just so they can report to that old fool of a headmaster."

He shook his head and picked up his wand from his desk, waving it in the direction of the door, muttering a silencing spell on it. He rounded on her, his brows creating a frown. "Yes but think of who the head girl is. Do you really think I'll be able to come and go, and do as I please with the mudblood constantly keeping an eye on what I'm doing? Don't act like a fool Pansy. It's common knowledge that they think I'm a death eater already. I don't need Potter and pathetic pack of sheep constantly vigilant of my actions." He dropped his wand back on his table and leaned up against it, rubbing at his temple in frustration. "Don't think I didn't consider both options Pansy. This way, it doesn't look like I'm eager to have the privacy of the heads room. I just need to somehow manage to redirect their suspicions of me elsewhere."

Pansy's features softened at his words, and she nodded her head in agreement. "Forgive me Draco. I didn't realise Granger was head girl." She approached him and leaned into his body, resting her head on his chest. "We'll figure something out."

His eyes rolled up to the ceiling at the girl's sudden contact. He let her stay there for a mere few seconds before he pushed her away, at the shoulders. "Don't. I can do this myself." He looked at the door to his room and cleared his throat. "Next time, if I don't answer the door, take the hint and go away. Goodbye Pansy."

A look of confusion and hurt appeared in her eyes, but just as fast as they were there, they were gone, replaced with a look of boredom. "Just don't stuff it up." She left the room and left the door ajar, not bothered to be polite enough to close the door for him.

Draco leaned back against his desk, suddenly feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. He needed to go for a walk, and he needed to decide what the best course of action to take would be.

* * *

><p>Hermione dropped the stack of books on her bed, instructing Ron to do the same. He dropped them carelessly onto the bed, not looking twice when a few books slid off the bed and onto the floor. He nodded while looking up and around the Heads common room. "Well I definitely agree that you'll have more space to relax here." He poked his head out of her room, "No head boy yet?"<p>

Hermione shrugged and shook her head, "Apparently not. I'd have thought whoever it was would have moved in by now. Dumbledore hasn't been keeping me updated on the situation." She picked up the few books that had dropped to the floor and put them on her bed, slowly starting to arrange them all up in little piles.

"Well, enjoy the peace and quiet now. Knowing Dumbledore, he's probably got a little surprise up his sleeve. That man lives for surprises." He continued to speak as he walked into the bathroom, raising his voice slightly so she could still hear him. "Surprises and lemon drops. Hermione, have you seen the bath tub in here?"

"No Ron. I've been living in here for two whole weeks, but I haven't stepped foot in the bathroom." She continued sorting but started to frown when she realised she hadn't brought up all the books she had originally wanted. "Drats!"

"No need for sarcasm." Ron appeared in her doorway, smiling at her. "Something wrong head girl? Paper cut?"

She wiggled her fingers up at him to show they were fine. "No, just forgot a book." She let out a long sigh and got up off her bed. "I need to run back down to the library. You want to stay up here or you going to head back?"

Ron rested his head on the frame of the doorway. "I think I might head back to my room. Quidditch practice tired me out today, so I may have an early night." He watched as she took off her robes and loosened her school tie. "Want me to walk you there?"

She pulled the tie over her head and hung it up on her door handle. "I'm fine. You go sleep. We have class first period tomorrow and Merlin forbid, you don't want to miss breakfast now do you?" She smirked as she moved towards him, and started shoving him to the entrance of the heads common room. "Tell Harry I said night too, if you happen to bump into him."

Ron made a sour face and dug his heels into the ground so she wouldn't be able to shove him. "That's if he can detach his lips from my sisters face long enough."

Hermione exploded into a fit of laughter, "Oh Ron, it's cute. You just can't see it."

He growled at her and walked out of the common room, making his way down the cold hallway. He called out to her over his shoulder, "Best be getting to the library now before it gets too late. Don't want the head girl breaking curfew now."

Hermione waited till he had rounded the corner before closing the portrait door behind her and tucking her wand into the waistband of her school skirt.

She disliked walking the halls of Hogwarts after sunset. Some argued that the castle looked magnificent with the candle-light surrounding the centuries old stone walls; however Hermione found it to be quite unsettling. She did not find comfort in the flickering shadows the candles created and the occasional hiss of a flame.

By the time Hermione had reached the library, Madam Pince was in the middle of closing the doors. The librarian turned suddenly and looked down her pointed long nose at Hermione with great distaste. "Oh heavens child, do you not have anywhere else to go?" She turned her attention back to the doors and started to fiddle with one of the knobs which would on occasion get slightly jammed.

"Sorry Ma'am but I left the rest of the books that I checked out on the counter. If I could just quickly run in and get them, I hope that won't be too much of a problem."

With an over exaggerated sigh, the librarian pushed the door open but did not say a word. Hermione taking the hint that she wasn't in the mood, hurried into the library and located her books quick smart. She had taken no more than a minute before she was rushing out of the doors and past the librarian once more. "Thank you so mu-"

"Just get on with it and get back to your room." Madam Pince snapped, interrupting Hermione. She watched the brown haired student blush furiously and leave without another word. She muttered words of displeasure as she continued trying to close the doors once more.

* * *

><p>Draco sat on his bed and was fiddling with his wand. He was deep in thought about how to handle this matter of becoming head boy. He knew he had over done his attempt at trying to not look too pleased and was now in risk of not being able to accept the position of head boy. Leaving his wand on his bed, Draco stood and looked around for some blank parchment. He grabbed a blank sheet which he had discarded on his bedside table and found a quill. Not bothering to make it presentable, he scribbled a quick note '<em>Headmaster, as it is past curfew I cannot come see you personally, but if you will still have me I'd like to accept the role as head boy- Draco Malfoy.'<em> He rolled the parchment up and attached it to his owl before opening his window and letting the bird be on his way.

He watched as his feathery friend glided through the sky before taking a dive to the other side of the castle and disappearing. Sadly, he closed the window back up and resumed his position on his bed. He had a lot of planning to do, with a minimal amount of time at his hands to waste. But for tonight, he was in no mood to even start considering how he was going to go about completing the task the Dark Lord had given him.

* * *

><p>Hermione had finally organised and put away all of the books she had borrowed from the library. She was ready to kick back for the night and relax. This was her original plan; however she was interrupted by a knock on the common room door. Since there was still no news on the head boy, she knew that the interruption must be for her. Feeling the loss of her warm spot on the couch, she made her way to the door to open it. The door opened to reveal a high spirited Dumbledore standing there, smiling down at the head girl. "Good Evening Miss Granger. I'm sorry to have called in at such a horrible hour, but I have some fantastic news I wish to share with you."<p>

Hermione shocked that her headmaster was in such a cheerful mood, side stepped to allow him in. "No need to aplogise sir, I was just reading up on some of chapters we'll be looking at in classes tomorrow." She closed the door and followed him to the couches, sitting opposite him and waiting for him to continue. "Sir? What's the news?"

Dumbledore smiled and looked around at the common room walls. "Such a beautifully decorated room. Those house elves really out-do themselves." This caused Hermione to raise a questioning eyebrow, but she did not dare interrupt him. "Well, that is all beside the point of why I am here. I'd like you to be the first to know that a head boy has been picked. I received a letter from him tonight stating that he would accept the responsibility of being head boy. I trust that he will be moving into these chambers tomorrow and didn't want you to pause in panic when you discovered who it is I picked."

She didn't say a word, but mentally she was shocked that Ron had been right. Their headmaster was full of surprises.

"-so young mister Malfoy will, I'm sure, be moving in tomorrow. Some unity and an attempt to be civil to one another will be appreciated by myself and the rest of the staff."

Hermione snorted at this statement, but quickly apologised for this. "I'm sorry headmaster, but are you sure Malfoy is head boy material?"

His smile appeared once more and he stopped his animated hand movements and left them in his lap. "Ignoring his family history, Mister Malfoy has impeccable grades just like yourself. Heads are chosen by academic status, not personal."

A sharp pain started to throb in the side of Hermione's head. He was giving her a headache, and she was sure that this headache would be the first of many more to come this year if she were to be sharing a heads dormitory with Malfoy. "I understand sir, and I will try to comply with your wishes and seek to be as hospitable as I can towards him."

Dumbledore stood up and made his way to the door. "That is all I ask Miss Granger, that you try." He opened the door and stepped outside. "May I suggest asking who is there before opening a door next time? Goodnight Miss Granger." And with that, he closed the portrait door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters or themes presented in this text.

Chapter Two

The next morning, Hermione woke up to the sound of a thud coming from the common room. After her eyes flew open at the sound, she lay in bed and awaited another sound to determine what exactly it was that woke her up. A moment passed before another thud but this time, the thud was followed by a woman's voice.

Quickly, Hermione threw her legs over the edge of her bed and headed out of her room, swinging the bedroom door, wildly. She was welcomed by a line of enchanted items, levitating from the entrance of the common room door and into the head boy's bedroom.

Crash. A set of crystal vials hit the ground, and only this was the reason Hermione noticed Pansy Parkinson standing there near the head boys room, staring at her. She wasn't sure what was going on, but since Pansy had her hand reaching for her wand, she decided it was probably best not to make any sudden movements to set the Slytherin girl in defence mode.

"Pansy! If that was another set of vials, I swear-"Draco Malfoy's stopped mid-sentence. He had been walking out of his new room, ready to explode at Pansy for breaking the fourth pair of vials that morning when he had, just like Pansy, noticed the head girl standing at her door looking as if she was a deer caught in headlights. His initial shock of seeing her for the first time since way before the summer break, lasted for a quick second. Shaking it off, he turned his attention back to Pansy. "Stop breaking my stuff."

Before Pansy could mumble an apology, he disappeared back into his room and left the two girls standing there in silence, neither unsure if they should say anything. Hermione made the first move. "Good Morning, Parkinson."

"Granger." Pansy replied, lifting her nose in the air slightly. She didn't want to start an argument that could in any way jeopardise Draco's newly acquired rein as head boy. There was no more attempts at conversation, and Pansy was left standing next to the box of broken vials as she watched Hermione walk from the doorway of her bedroom, and to the small poor excuse of a kitchen.

Hermione wasn't certain if she should have said anything else, but thought it better to muse over breakfast about the upcoming drama that was sure to take place now that she was sharing a common room with the boy, who had since the first day she stepped into the school, made her life a living hell.

* * *

><p>The last class of the day was double transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs and Hermione could not wait for this hell to be over. Hermione and Harry had made the mistake of occupying the table behind Ron and Lavender today. Usually, the occasional flirting between Ron and Lavender would go unnoticed by Hermione because she would always sit in the first row of the classroom, regrettably that wasn't the case today.<p>

Professor McGonagall had instructed the students to write up a practice paper for their NEWT'S. The whole class was busy writing their practice paper, well all except for Ron and Lavender who were stifling giggle and poking each on their sides. Lavender was smacking away Ron's hand and then managed to stop his poking hand when she placed her hand on the top of his thigh. Immediately, Ron's face managed to brighten up so much that the colour matched the fiery mess that was atop his head.

Harry had noticed this first, but only shook his head at his friend. Although unlike Harry, every time Hermione noticed the pair in front of them, she would huff out a disapproval and focus harder on the sheet in front of her. Another stifled giggle from the perky blonde sent Hermione over the edge. She dropped her quill and pushed her chair roughly away from the edge of the desk, standing up from the table. Harry gave her an alarmed look, but she managed a quick mumble. "Bathroom."

Slipping out of the classroom allowed Hermione to release the deep breath she hadn't realised she had been holding in. Making her way slowly to the girls bathroom, her mind raced with rationalisations as to why she was suddenly feeling this dropping feeling in the bottom of her stomach. She was sure she had no feelings for Ron; however the thought of him flirting with Lavender Brown seemed to bother her today. She was halfway down a hallway when she saw Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson in front of her exchanging hushed whispers, his hands on her shoulders and Pansy's clasped together, resting under her chin. On instinct, she slid herself behind one of the columns of the hallway and stood there in silence, straining her ears in hopes that she could hear what they were talking so secretively about in a supposed deserted hallway.

"I'll give you the letter to send later on tonight. Meet me in front of my common room portrait at midnight." That was Draco's voice. A door slammed shut and Hermione frowned- she was sure there were no classrooms in this hallway. She stuck her head from behind the column cautiously but saw only Pansy's retreating back walking away. Then it dawned on her that he must have reached out for the room of requirements. But what could he possibly need with the room of requirements, she pondered to herself. Making note of what had just happened, Hermione backed away and headed back to the classroom, not really daring to head in the same direction as Pansy.

Once Hermione had returned back to the class, she quietly slipped in so that she wouldn't distract any of her fellow students from their trance-like states. She reached her spot next to Harry, sat back in her seat and continued writing the reasoning behind why methods of execution were important in transfiguration. She had her mind so fixated on what she had just witnessed that she hadn't noticed Harry's eyes on her until she was startled by his hushed whisper. "Quick bathroom break."

Acting out of caution, Hermione shook her head. "Shh. We'll talk after class." And that was that. They both spent the rest of class time working on their papers.

* * *

><p>"So you're telling me that you say Malfoy and Parkinson in the corridors during class time, so obviously they must be up to something?" Harry's arms were crossed in front of his chest, his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what Hermione had been telling him.<p>

Hermione lifted a hand to shove him slightly. "Don't patronise me Harry. There was something off about the whole exchange, or the part that I witnessed. Why would he slip to the room of requirements? Why would he-"

"Did you think maybe he went to the room so he wouldn't get caught for truanting and that Parkinson is probably going to be coming over for a quick midnight romp?" As he said it the last part, he had to swallow back a small bit of vile that had threatened to come up. "Oh that's a horrible thought." He shuddered, paying no attention to the fiery look Hermione was giving him. "Make sure you disinfect the place...what?" He finally looked at her direction and took a quick step back.

"Harry James Potter, I already told you he mentioned a letter that he's going to give for her to send. I assure you, to the disbelief of Ron, and apparently you as well now, I know what it looks like when a pair of teenagers are discussing a time and place for a _romp_." She mimicked his wording with a roll of her eyes. "Believe me, sex is the last thing on their mind. Or, his mind at least."

Uncrossing his arms, Harry threw one of them over her shoulders. He moved her from their current spot in the middle of the hallway, closer to the wall and then dropped his arm back down. "If he's up to something, he'll slip up again. When he does, and you can get more information other than he's sending a letter, _then_ we can have a closer look into the situation." He knew he was upsetting her earlier for not taking her concern seriously, but in all honesty, he thought it was just the stress of practice NEWT's creeping up on them that was making her a little too emotional and suspicious of everything.

She kept her thoughts and words to herself, just offering him a single nod to let him know she heard him and that she'd drop the subject for now.

* * *

><p>He had sat in the room of requirements for a good two or three hours with his eyes closed, wondering what he was going to write in his reply to his father and so far, he had nothing. Draco Malfoy had always had appealing physical features. A lean shaped body that always stood with the posture and attitude of royalty, even when he had not been purposefully doing so. His face shape was defined; skin always smooth and the colour always creamy, avoiding the sickly tinge pale colour that had plagued his father. Regrettably, in the last year, Draco had been nothing but stressed all day and all night. All this stress had taken its toll on his once almost perfect self. He didn't walk with the same royal posture and attitude anymore, but now with the attitude that everything he did was a chore. His face had developed very light, but noticeable lines and a shade of grey stained the once clear, smooth spot under his eyes.<p>

Sighing to himself, Draco deemed all this thinking to be wasting his time, so he got up and headed to leave the room behind, hoping that the door would appear somewhere closer to the Head's dormitory. Unfortunately for Draco, the room appeared right near the great hall.

"Draco!" Groaning to himself, he recognised that familiar squeal and quickly turned in hopes that the door was still there, however the odds were never in his favour and it had disappeared. A hand had grasped onto his arm and was yanking him to turn around. "Draco?"

There stood a smiling Lavender Brown. He turned back to her, resting the hand that was once on the wall, now at his temple. "Lavender, it's been a while." He noticed her smile growing wider when he finally spoke to her but then drop at the end of his sentence.

"You said you'd owl me over the break, but you never did. I didn't even see you on the express when we left London." She looked more confused than upset that he had blatantly lied to her about keeping in touch during their school break. "I thought something had happened, but I'm glad to see you're back. What happened to you all break and why weren't you on the train?"

Draco didn't understand the fascination this Gryffindor had with him, but he wouldn't ever lie to anyone or himself in saying that sometimes he didn't find her constant want for his attention to be a bit flattering. But then again, last year he was interested in the females of Hogwarts, this year however he was interested in surviving Hogwarts more than anything. "I meant to owl you many times during the break" he lied, "but I had so much things come up that kept me busy." She frowned at him, but he kept his cool and hoped she wouldn't ask what stuff. He needed to turn her mood back into happy and bubbly. He didn't like a questioning female. "As for the rest, why don't we go to Hogsmeade together the next time there's a weekend outing and I'll explain it all to you then?"

This pleased her, which pleased him because that meant no more questioning for a few more weeks. "That sounds perfect Draco. Hopefully I'll run into you before then." She attempted her most seductive grin before turning away and heading up the stairs.

Waiting a few moments so Lavender could be ahead a few flight of stairs, he followed up the stairs but in the direction of the heads dormitory.

_**Authors Note-** I would greatly appreciate a BETA if anyone is willing to spare some time. Also thank you to the load of people who put this story on alert, though a review would be appreciated just as much._


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters or themes presented in this text.

Chapter Three

After Draco's bump in with Lavender, all he wanted to do was hideaway in his room. After rushing through the portrait to the Head's common room, he stopped in his tracks, not expecting Hermione to be there so early after classes had ended for the day. He was sure she'd be off hanging out with Potter or one of the Weasley's but here she was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed and a book settled in her lap.

His sudden entrance had made her jump slightly, though she didn't give him more than a quick glance before returning back to her spot in the book. Draco wasn't in the mood to start bickering with her today, so he just closed the portraait behind him and headed straight to their bathroom- he needed a nice hot shower to relax his tense muscles.

Once Hermione heard the bathroom door shut, she looked back up from her book again and focused her eyes on her roommate's book bag that he had so clumsily abandoned on his path to the bathroom. She sat still until she heard the water in the shower turn on. Leaping to her feet, she took this opportunity to do a little snooping. If Harry was going to be a complicated git who suddenly this year decided to give Draco the benefit of the doubt, then she would have to take matters into her own hands and prove that he was up to something.

Quickly grabbing the bag, she opened it up and looked around for any loose pieces of parchment that wasn't rolled up, but to no avail. She pulled out his textbooks roughly, and was happily surprised when a piece of parchment that had been tucked away in between pages of his DADA textbook fell out. Unfortunately, the only words written on it were Dear Father. So much for finding anything interesting to go by. After shoving the parchment back into the book, she repacked it exactly the way she had found it and took her seat back onto the couch. Tapping her fingers on the cover of her book, she was lightly agitated that she didn't find anything to shove into Harry's face to prove she wasn't mishearing random babble in the corridors. Hermione came to the conclusion that she needed to just let Draco slip up like Harry had told her earlier, and threw her book to the side as she got up to go make herself a cup of tea.

The kitchenette provided for them wasn't one filled with usefully appliances, but it did come with a kettle, and that's all that she really needed right now. As the kettle slowly boiled the water, Hermione found herself staring out of the kitchenette and directly at Draco's bedroom door. She was sure he'd definitely have something incriminating lying around in there. Was she really this desperate to prove Harry wrong, that she'd break into his room and snoop around? His book bag was one thing, but his bedroom was on a whole different level.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by the growing whistling noise coming from the kettle. Filling her mug and letting the tea bag dangle inside, she crept out of the kitchenette and headed to stand in front of his bedroom door. With the mug of tea in one hand, she let the other hand graze against the door slowly, making its way to the door knob. Because she had been distracted by her sudden inner debate whether she should try to open the door or not, she hadn't heard the shower turn off, and the bathroom door open.

"Granger. What are you doing?" The surprising sound of his voice sent chills down her back, but she forced herself not to jump or react in a way that would incriminate her.

Dropping her hand from the door, she turned to look at him. He had by then, crossed the room and was barely a foot away before she thrust her arm out, holding out her cup of tea in a sort of offer towards him. "Tea!" What she had originally anticipated as a question came out as an exploded statement. Draco's eyebrows creased even further, confused as to the girls odd behaviour. "I mean, I was going to see if you wanted some tea." She explained slowly, thankful that he didn't knock her and the mug out of his way. "You looked like you could use some when you walked in." She didn't like the silence; it bothered her. With him, she was use to loud and cruel confrontations. What was going on now wasn't like him and it was in all honesty, rubbing her the wrong way.

Feeling like she wasn't going to get a reply out of him, she brought the mug back to her chest, and held it there while staring at him, wondering if he would say anything. She got her answer, because once she had retreated the mug, Draco leaned forward and turned the knob to his room, letting the door open. Without sparring a single word, he made for his room and shut the door right behind him. Inwardly Hermione was feeling relief at his actions. If he had taken her up on her offer for tea, she'd definitely would of had to have to go and check him into the hospital wing.

A few hours had gone by however Hermione had continued her post in the common room. She was determined to stay around till midnight to see what would happen between Draco and Pansy. Unfortunately at some point of her stakeout, sleep had come and taken over. The time was almost reaching midnight and there she was fast asleep on the couch with her arm thrown over her eyes. Draco took the ongoing silence as a sign that it was all clear to come out. He did not expect to see her fast asleep on the couch. Swearing to himself, he kept an eye on her breathing while he manoeuvred his way through the common room, carefully as to not wake her up. He had been so focused on not waking the head girl that he didn't notice that he was about to walk straight into the corner of the coffee table. As soon as he made contact with the sturdy piece of furniture, he instinctively brought his fisted hand up to his mouth- muffling the urge to voice any of the pain he was currently in.  
>During this quick interruption, he did not notice Hermione had stirred in her sleep. Hermione's eyes were wide open but her shielding arm kept the illusion that she was still asleep. Forcing herself to relax, she shut her eyes ad just listened to Draco move around.<p>

Draco had finally made it to the portrait door and was opening it as quietly as he could open a live painting. Once he had stepped outside, he leaned the portrait door closed, but not to the point where he'd have to get its attention to get back inside the common room. A quick sigh of relief followed by a cocky smirk- here he believed himself to be stealthy, and that he had managed to sneak by the girl without waking her.

Not knowing exactly what time it was, he looked up and down the hallway, wondering how much longer he had to wait before the arrival of his friends. He didn't wait long before he heard the sounds of shuffling shoes fill up the empty hallway.

Once Draco recognised the faces of Pansy and Blaise, he pointed at the door and then back at his lips, indicating that they should stay quiet. "Not so loud. Granger's asleep on the couch."

Pansy bit down on her bottom lip, looking from Blaise to Draco. "Did you write the letter?" Pansy watched as Draco pulled something out from inside one of his pockets and handed it to her.

"Of course, and unlike last time, I remembered to address it to your father. I don't think you realise how thankful I am to your family Pansy." Draco wasn't use to getting sappy, so he refused to thank her again that night. He did notice though the amused look in Blaise's eyes. "What the devil are you giddy about Blaise?"  
>At this point, Hermione had snuck off of the couch and was right behind the portrait door, listening to every word the Slytherins had been saying.<p>

"Brown broke it off with Weasley today because she's telling everyone that, and I quote, Drake asked her out to Hogsmeade and it could be getting serious between the two again." After his mimicking of the gossip, Blaise couldn't help but bust out in a chuckle.

Draco wasn't too impressed with what he was hearing. "I only invited her out to Hogsmeade to direct her attention away from me suddenly appearing out of nowhere. She caught me as I was coming out of the room of requirements." Hermione couldn't see his facial expressions, but she could hear his distaste in the situation and made a note of that.

"Draco we need to go back, I'm pretty sure I saw that stupid cat roaming around on our way up here. But rest assure, your father will receive this letter. I'll let you know when I get a reply back."

At this moment, Hermione had jumped back and was leaping to the couch, but was too late because she knew he had pushed the door open and seen her up and about.  
>"Granger? What are you doing up?" Draco asked as he closed the door behind him. Usually the best way to feign innocence with a girl was to turn the subject onto her before she even had a chance to ask anything. But this was Hermione Granger.<p>

"I should be asking you the same thing Malfoy. Went for a walk around the school? Tried to find yourself a pretty little thing to bring back?" Hermione also knew this trick and was attempting it on Draco. She didn't want him to know she had listened in on their conversation. If he did find out, then he'd be extra cautious around her, and she didn't need that.

Draco wasn't sure how to react but being questioned by Hermione wasn't making him feel at ease. "Listen here you filthy mudblood. You don't need to know a thing about what I do, where I go or who I speak to. If I want to bring someone back to my room, are you going to stop me?" He had been hoping she'd be offended by what he was saying, spit an insult back at him and finally leave him alone.

Hermione's eyebrow rose at this sudden explosion. "Oh my, aren't we getting a bit defensive..." but he quickly cut her off.

"Just don't. It's been a long night, and I'm not about to spend it standing here, swapping insults with you." Unlike their earlier confrontation, this time when Draco walked past her, he did in fact lightly push her out of the way. Before he reached the door to his room, her words in a mocking whisper sent chills down his back.

"I'm sure daddy dearest will get your letter, Drake." He spun around, but she had disappeared into her own room. Groaning inwardly, he couldn't believe she had been awake and heard their conversation outside.

* * *

><p>The two Slytherins sat side by side in the great hall, both ignoring the food in front of them. Blaise sat with his arms crossed against his chest while Draco has his head in his hands. That next morning, Draco had stopped Blaise in his tracks on his way down to breakfast and told him about the small exchange he had with Hermione when they left last night. Neither of them was sure what to do, and Pansy still hadn't come down to breakfast so they could bombard her with questions of what the next course of action should be.<p>

Draco, who was busy wallowing, was suddenly startled by Blaise's insistent nudges. "I have an idea!" Lifting his head from his hand for the first time in almost twenty minutes, Draco stared at his friend, waiting for him to continue. "Divide and concur. We need to infiltrate their circle and somehow cause a disruption in their little.." Blaise waved his hands in rotating motion, "weird network of secret sharing with each other."

It was almost a facepalm, Draco's hand rested over one of his eyes as a frustrated groan was the reply to Blaise's plan. "Yeah, I'll just saunter over there and let Potter know him and I are great friends now and that he should trust in me from now on instead of the weasel and Granger. Will do?"

"I meant myself." Blaise snapped, displeased by the tone that Draco was using with him. "Potter and I have never had a confrontation before so there aren't actual negative experiences stopping it from becoming a possibility."

He wanted to strangle his friend and stuff as many items into his mouth as possible to get him to shut up; yet Draco found himself laughing. "Blaise, if you can befriend Harry Potter and somehow help get this mission pulled off, I will personally credit you on it to the Dark Lord."

Blaise shrugged and tried to hide his forming grin. "Laugh now, but when we have Potter in that clearing come the eve of our graduation, you'll be sorry. You're the one who has to tell the Dark Lord you needed help with your assignment."


End file.
